"Be careful using that term."

I was having a discussion with my aunt, and we were talking about divorced parents (we both have this in our immediate families), and it worked its way to the how religious the families were, and thus to the bible.

Thats when I uttered the phrase "Thats why I'm an Atheist."

I actually was going to say that I just wasn't Christian, but atheist just cam out instead.

Her initial reaction was a bit of a smirk, to which I almost began to defend myself, but then she kind warmed up to uit in a matter of seconds and just started talking about what she believes. She went on a tangent about how she doesn't like the Church, but believes that if this is it, then why live, so there must be a spirit or god of some sort of there.

Then she started talking about what Atheism is.

Now, for starters, we are to relativily different personalities. She is very outgoing, she doesn't quite appreciate knowledge the way I do. (She's not stupid, but she doesn't like to sit and read a good historically accurate novel like I do, get what I'm saying?)

She went of about how faitrh has its place in teaching children morals and how to live a good life and what not, and that its about community, and If I say I'm an Atheist, I don't believe in community.

Hold up.

This is when I interjected. I didn't want to go off about all the things of researched and books I've read and what I know and believe, but now it was inevitable.

I tokld that Atheism is simply the lack of belief in gods. Thats what I believe. No gods.

She said that Atheism can meam a lot of things to a lot of people, that I shouldn't call myslef an Atheist because people may take the wrong way.

I didn't go off on her like I wanted, of would have had it been someone from school, or even a teacher, but doesn't this just piss of you (as an Atheist) too? I'm not a militant Atheist, or some sort of out of control Atheist Anarchist thats wants to murder all the religious around the globe. I just don't think that there is a God.

I had to get this up here, because as an Atheist community, we obviously believe in community and that we aren't sopme bunch of nut jobs. We're just regular people, that don't believe that there is anything after this life, or beyond the universe in some way.

Yes, don't be who you are because society might find facts distasteful. I would say that I side step the word belief intentionally. I'll say, "I don't see any evidence of a God." My intention is to avoid my being assailed in beliefs, but rather it leaves they other person needing to present evidence which I then can pick apart point by point. If it's someone that cares about me, it ends respectfully with acceptance. If it can't, then we know that we are wasting each other's time and I've planted seeds.

The reason that I'm not a "member" of America Atheists isn't because I am embarrassed of the label, "Atheist" but rather that I think much of their energy is misguided. I believe that we need to be the change that we want to see in the world. While it's surely important to fight off creationism in schools, I'm not going to bicker about every mention of "God" found here and there on Government publications. While it's good to have speakers voice concerns about these things, I just can't see spending the majority of my energy trying to fight court battles against the religious when there are so many more important things that deserve attention.

People say "We don't see atheists doing anything good..." I'd like to see atheists and secular humanists doing more for their local communities. We have no need for "Atheist charities." Just being part of the local effort to help improve what you can improve would be very helpful. It will be harder for people to remain bigoted when they find that secularists are engaged and active in making a positive change, rather than simply engaging in intellectual debates and legal challenges with theists.

When you get into the Murray bashing discussions (I won't want to be within 100 yards of that troll), it might be important to note that a Unitarian (Schemp) is the title case and Murray could have never filed and prayer would have been out of schools that same year.